SOURCED FROM GYMPIE TIMES PARVO ALERT!!! GYMPIE IT CAN BE PREVENTED GYMPIE dog owners are being warned of another outbreak of the deadly canine parvovirus (CPV). The highly contagious and potentially fatal viral disease can kill a family pet within a few days and was the cause of several dog deaths at Rainbow Beach recently. The deaths were initially put down to baiting, however an autopsy confirmed they had succumbed to “parvo”. Veterinarian Lachlan Campbell is urging dog owners to ensure their pet’s vaccinations are up to date and said puppies are especially vulnerable. If left untreated, the mortality rate is high, Dr Campbell warned. And in those cases where treatment is possible, he said it is expensive. “The cost of vaccinations is quite small compared to the cost of treating parvo,” he said. Dog owners unsure if their pets have been vaccinated should bring them into their vet for a general check up and a CPV shot. “The vaccine safeguards you against the anguish of losing your dog,” Dr Campbell said. The main source of the virus is the faeces of unprotected dogs, and could be carried into the home environment on a car tyre or someone’s shoes. Considered a relatively robust virus, which can survive between one and six months (some say up to 12 months), Dr Campbell said good hygiene practices can minimise any risk of spreading it. CPV is easily preventable; all dog owners need do is make sure their puppies are vaccinated and bring older dogs in for their yearly booster shots, he said. Dr Campbell said bloody diarrhoea and bloody vomiting are the primary symptoms; however any ailing dogs or puppies should be brought into the vet as soon as possible. “Your puppy or dog might be off colour or a bit lethargic – if you are suspicious, bring the animal to a vet... with respect to parvo, the earlier you get onto it the better,” he said. Did you know... Puppies younger than 10-12 weeks of age haven’t had all of their vaccinations yet, so they are more susceptible to canine parvovirus. Special caution is advised for puppies; be mindful of the areas visited, vaccination status and age of dogs they come in contact with, and be extra vigilant about sanitation of hands, shoes, clothes and bowls used for puppies. VOMITING, bloody diarrhoea, shock. Huge vet bill - and then death. Its not a nice way to go but in the past two days, eight Gympie dogs have been treated for the deadly canine parvovirus that has reached epidemic proportions in Queensland. Gympies busiest vet practice, Gympie Vet Services, confirmed yesterday it was experiencing its biggest spike in parvo in more than a decade. It has treated eight dogs in the past two days. Ten years ago it treated maybe two or three cases a year. A similar spike occurred in February this year, when several dogs from the Kilkivan area contracted the disease and another spike around show time in 2010, though this is believed to be coincidence. Surviving parvo depends on how quickly the disease is diagnosed, the age of the dog and how aggressive the treatment is - treatment that can cost up to $2000. Prevention is a needle. But its a drop-off in the number of pet owners getting their dogs immunised that has most likely caused this statewide epidemic. Gympie vet Shannon Coyne said yesterday parvo was a horrible way for a dog to die and had a high fatality rate. Anyone who owns a dog that has not been vaccinated is advised to keep it isolated in the face of this outbreak until they are able to get it vaccinated. Puppies were particularly at risk, Dr Coyne said. I have been here (in Gympie) for more than 10 years and this is the most cases of parvo I have seen in that time. I have never seen eight cases in two days before. Parvo is a painful and highly infectious disease that attacks the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system of dogs. Faeces and the vomit of infected dogs are the main sources of infection and it is easily transmitted via the hair or feet of dogs and on shoes, clothes and other objects. Please get your dog vaccinated, it is a cruel way to die and can be easily prevented..
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 23:05:39 +0000
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